Through Your Eyes
by Mystic Dragon
Summary: Beating up criminals holds nothing when two psychopathic men turns the school into rubble with Gohan and Videl in the middle of it. While Videl berates herself, Gohan has a little chat with her about life and death. Slight G/V
1. Chapter 1

I don't own Dragonball Z or its characters…nor do I own much money, so if you sue, you'll probably only get about $2 in pennies and some drier lint.

Timeline of this…after Saiyaman appeared in the city, but before the incident with Chobi. It's slight Gohan/Videl.

* * *

**Through Your Eyes**

Chapter 1

It had been a typical school day up until lunch time. Gohan and a few other people, Videl included, had been inside the building rather than outside.

Those that were near Videl still weren't sure exactly what happened when they were asked to recall it.

First, the girl's communicator went off, with the chief telling her of a group of two guys that were obviously out of their proper minds. He actually had told her to stay put instead of help out since one guy had a rocket launcher.

How some insane criminals got those, Gohan and Videl would never understand.

Then, suddenly, the chief was screaming different directions to the girl…make sure the kids were somewhere safe in the building, because the guys were headed their way.

Videl wanted to go and attack them.

Gohan stopped her with a firm grip to her arm. "Videl-san! The rest of us heard, too…those aren't typical crooks. They're certifiable lunatics. The police are trying to go against them cautiously to avoid problems!"

Videl looked torn. "Let go."

Erasa took Gohan's side. "Attacking people like that isn't good…"

Sharpner had already taken off to run to the gymnasium, which was probably the most fortified area of the school.

Gohan had noticed and mentioned it to Videl. "Let's get the other kids to the gym as well. With all the sports played there, it has to be more durable in structure than the rest of the school."

"But…!"

Erasa, once again, agreed with the boy. "That's what the police chief told you, Videl."

Videl gritted her teeth and pulled her arm angrily out of Gohan's grasp. "FINE! I'll evacuate everyone."

"We'll help," Gohan offered.

Erasa nodded. She was a bit scared, but was willing to do something to help.

"Alright…divide up the school." Videl wasn't against their help. Plus, she figured that, if she was able to do it fast enough and away from her two friends, then she could sneak out to knock the crooks upside their heads.

Gohan's eyes narrowed only slightly. He had seen Videl in school and fighting crime (as Saiyaman), and knew that look on her face. _I'll have to keep a check on her ki. She's planning something, and I won't let her go fight them. _

"I'll take the right wing. Gohan-kun take the back. Erasa, the left." Videl divided them up in a way that she thought would buy her them most time. She knew the most amount of students gravitated towards the right side since that's where the fields were.

In that case, she'd spend less time rounding up stragglers than Gohan and Erasa would. And, in that time, she could easily get away from them.

The world seemed to be against Videl's plans, as the three heard an announcement over the loudspeaker as they ran off to do their 'jobs'. The announcement was from the office, who had received a call from the police about insane men that would be passing by, and to take no chances. Therefore, the office workers paged all students and teachers to report to the gymnasium for their safety.

The message was repeated twice, then stopped. Evidently, they didn't want to hang around, either.

Gohan and Erasa, who had a hard time convincing skeptical students that they were in danger (and made Gohan consider going 'Saiyaman' ), had a lot more success after the announcement was made.

Videl had no trouble, due to her reputation. That, and her area didn't have stragglers.

So, when Gohan and Erasa met up at the gym, they were confused when they didn't see Videl.

"And that's everyone!" a teacher stated when Gohan and Erasa entered.

The two exchanged puzzled looks.

Another teacher was giving instructions. "Stay put, and keep low to the ground! There's a high possibility that the men will go right by the school without doing a thing, but this is a precaution! Do not leave the gym…!"

"What about Videl-san?" Gohan asked the teacher that had taken the head count.

Erasa looked around for her friend. Sure, there was an entire school's worth of kids in the building, but Videl wouldn't be hiding in the back. She would have been right up front with the teachers.

The teacher stared at him with a raised brow. "She went to stop the crooks, of course."

Erasa felt her jaw drop.

Gohan cursed under his breath.

Sharpner, who was nearby, grinned. "Hey, Videl can take care of herself…"

But, Gohan would hear nothing of it. Instead, before the teachers realized it, he was up and out the door.

"Son-kun! Get back here!" one of the teachers roared.

The door closed, for Gohan had already left.

Erasa glanced at Sharpner. "We can't let Gohan-kun get hurt! We have to bring him back here!"

"What…_me_?!" Sharpner stared at her like she had lost her mind.

"Well, I'm going, even if you're not! I thought you were braver…I guess even Gohan-kun is braver than you!" with that Erasa dashed to the door and opened it.

The teacher who had shouted at Gohan turned red and demanded Erasa stop.

"Oh, hell…" Sharpner muttered, then ran past the teacher that had started to move.

The teacher thought Sharpner was going to try and bring the girl back in, so he didn't rush…until he saw _both_ of them leave.

A few students learned a couple new swear words that even _they_, as teenagers, hadn't previously known.

* * *

Gohan, meanwhile, didn't take long to get to the front of the building.

Videl stood there with her hands on her hips, in front of the school, while the men stood opposite her. Not too close, but still past the school gates.

Gohan nearly paled when he saw that.

The two were hardly 'criminal' looking. In fact, if it wasn't for the guns and crazed looks in their eyes, as well as the army uniforms, they looked almost like normal people.

They weren't heavyset or muscular like most of the crooks that the two faced. Nor did they have masks on.

Videl demanded them to stop, but Gohan was more concerned.

After all, _he_ noticed the sideways, red hourglass symbol on their uniform shoulders. He was sure Videl had seen it, but she didn't know what it meant.

Gohan had battled the androids from the Red Ribbon Army…but he heard the stories from his father and Krillin about how they used to be more than just inventors of killing machines.

Gohan realized it immediately. _These two must be remnants from the army. They look to be over forty…yea, that would make the ages work out. The uniforms, the looks…they're desperate. Plus, Red Ribbon didn't care who they hurt. Two ex-soldiers at the ends of their ropes…they won't care who or what they destroy._

"Videl-san! Come back to the gym!" Gohan shouted.

Videl barely spared him a glance. "Go hide with the others, Gohan-kun! Leave these two to me!"

Gohan could hear the police sirens as the law enforcers started to catch up.

The two armed lunatics also heard it.

"We got a present for ya, girlie!" the darker skinned one held up a grenade launcher and fired before Videl could even respond.

The other laughed and added to the fire with a rocket launcher.

Then, before they could see their handiwork, the two got back into their beat up car and took off in hopes to evade the police.

Videl had been petrified to the spot in fear. She had been about to rush them when they fired. She had been shot at, but never with anything bigger than a sub machine gun.

Handheld weapons.

The one time someone had used a bigger weapon was when Saiyaman was there, and they had to save the mayor.

But Saiyaman wasn't there.

And Videl knew she was very much susceptible to rocket fire.

Videl cringed, then felt something smash into her.

Actually, it felt almost like what she imagined being hit by a car felt like, only minus all the injuries.

Gohan had run over the second they fired. He couldn't show his powers in front of Videl and the approaching police, so the other option was to dodge it.

He grabbed onto Videl and used his momentum to push them both to the side of the blasts.

The first one hit the school where Videl had once stood, which caused a burst of heat and debris.

Then, the second one hit the building higher up.

Apparently, the second guy's aim wasn't as good as the first…that, or he was just in a hurry.

Gohan felt the heat of the explosions, but it was nothing he hadn't experienced before from kikouha blasts. He knew it would be dangerous to run off since that would leave Videl open to the flying shrapnel that tore at his cloths and skin, so he just hunched over around her as he took her to the ground.

At a time like this, he was glad that he was tall.

Videl didn't even try to struggle in his grasp since she had no idea what was going on, but could hear the explosions that momentarily left her deaf and could feel the heat around them.

That was when the structure collapsed around them…and on top of them.

And, that was the scene that Erasa and Sharpner came upon. They rounded the bend just in time to see their two friends get buried in rubble.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	2. Chapter 2

Yea, I know…I have a fascination with trapping characters somewhere. Usually to get them to hook up. Oh, well…

Am I the only one that finds it odd that the Z-gang can stop bullets with their body without a mark, and block swords with their bare arms, yet Toto was able to scratch Gohan's face?

* * *

Chapter 2

Gohan shook his head as he groggily came around. _I must have been hit by a big piece of rubble to the head. I think I blacked out for a moment. _

For a moment, he wryly mused that it had to have been a hefty chunk to have knocked _him_ out, even for a couple seconds.

After all, Sharpner's 75mph fastball had only startled and stung him.

Then again, rocks were bigger than baseballs, even baseballs going 75mph.

Gohan frowned, then glanced down to see if Videl was alright.

She appeared to have been knocked out either from the force of the explosion or a random piece of debris that Gohan missed protecting her from, but was breathing and didn't have any injuries aside from small shrapnel scratches.

Gohan let out a breath of relief, then gasped in pain that motion caused. As his eyes adjusted to the dark, he easily saw what caused the pain that had shot through his left side.

He was somewhat glad that he hadn't curled up completed around Videl, and that he had grasped her closer to his right side. Else, she would have also been hit with the beam that had speared him.

Gohan gritted his teeth as he followed it with his eyes. The top half was trapped in rubble above them…which meant that he wouldn't be able to move anywhere unless he did something about it.

A quick inspection told him that it had luckily missed his vital organs…but he could already see the dark puddle that formed where his blood ran down the part that protruded from his front.

Gohan sucked in a breath to avoid shouting in pain and carefully maneuvered his left arm to reach back. When his fingers touched the beam, he concentrated his ki and melted it.

That, at least, would allow him movement now that he had cut it in two.

Not that he wanted to move with the pain, but if he survived until they were rescued, it would also help them move him out.

He contemplated blasting through the rubble since Videl was still unconscious, then scrapped that idea. He had no idea how much was on top of them, and was lucky that some of the beams and other rocks formed a small 'cavern' around them. If he blasted out a wall, it could cause a cave-in.

And, in his current condition, he wouldn't be fast enough to move to the exit with Videl and a beam through his side.

Gohan entertained the idea of pulling it out, but then scratched that one. The wound bled, but it would bleed a lot more once the beam came out. Instead, he carefully tested the rest of his limbs. Aside from shrapnel wounds and the skin that pulled taut at his back which indicated burns and possibly scrapes from shielding Videl with his body, he seemed to be in functional order.

A stab of pain from his side made him reassess that.

His arms and legs were in functional order, as was his head and brain. However, unless he went Super Saiyan or got a boost of adrenaline, he doubted he would be moving too much.

A groan brought him out of his thoughts, and he looked down. _Wow…this position is certainly compromising. _

After all, he was on his hands and knees above Videl's prone form.

As another jolt of pain made him grit his teeth, he figured he should try and talk to her before she smacked him upside the head. "Videl-san? Can you hear me?"

Videl blearily opened her eyes…and saw nothing but black. After a brief moment of panic, she realized that it was the darkness of the area combined with Gohan's black vest.

"The school came down around us. We're trapped under the rubble," Gohan explained as sweat rolled down his forehead.

Videl took a couple moments to reorient herself, then realized the position they were in.

As soon as he saw her eyes widen, Gohan tried to stammer an explanation. "It's not what it looks like…!"

"Like hell…! Were you trying to take advantage of me while I was unconscious!? All alone…?! GET OFF!" Videl roughly pushed against his chest.

The movement caused the melted tip of the beam that stuck out behind him to scrape against the edge that was still held up by rubble.

Gohan's right shoulder hit the rocks nearby as the friction passed, but he couldn't help but scream. The jarring did nothing to help the wound, and he could feel the area on his front and back grow damp with blood.

Videl immediately sat up and stared at his hunched form. "Gohan-kun?" _Did I hurt him? Geez, I can't believe I reacted like that…of course someone like __**Gohan-kun**__ wouldn't try to take advantage of me…I don't even think he knows what that __**means**__!_

Gohan tried to speak, but just coughed in agony between pained grunts.

It was then when Videl's eyes adjusted a bit more to the darkness, and she saw what she had failed to see earlier.

Meaning, the metal beam that protruded from Gohan's side.

Videl trembled. She didn't even know what to _say_. Working with the police, she had usually helped before things got bad or someone went down with more than a few scrapes.

And, aside from the police force, she didn't know them.

This was someone she knew…a classmate…a friend…

…that had a metal beam clear through his side that dripped with blood.

"G-Gohan-kun…" Videl stammered.

Gohan tried to smile at her. "It looks worse than it is."

"But…but it's…" Videl's hands shook, her eyes wide. _And I pushed him! What if it drove it in deeper? Or made it worse? Oh, geez…no wonder why he screamed!_ Tears welled up in her eyes as she covered her mouth with her hand.

She felt sick.

Not just from seeing the beam through her friend, but at the thought that she might have made it worse.

"Videl-san? Hey!"

Videl looked up as she struggled to keep down her lunch.

"It didn't hit anything vital. And the bleeding has already slowed…" Gohan grimaced. It felt strange to have a piece of metal in him, but at least it helped to plug up the wound. Once it was removed…

Well, that would be another story.

"How…how far did…?" Videl trembled.

"All the way," Gohan responded.

Videl choked back bile.

"Videl-san? Is your communicator still working?" Gohan questioned her. His side ached, and he knew that he had already lost some blood…but ironically, he seemed to be the only one with his wits intact.

Fighting against aliens to the death could do that to you, he supposed.

He had quite a few brushes with death when he was younger…two of which came from the adventure on Namek, alone.

Videl didn't have that experience, nor had she ever seen a friend get mortally wounded.

"Videl-san?" Gohan prompted the girl, then reached out and weakly touched her shoulder.

"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…" Videl rasped. _If I hadn't challenged those guys…if Gohan hadn't covered me…he wouldn't be…_

"I'm not dead, yet," Gohan reminded her. Though, he did wince, and his hands clutched his pants tightly from the pain. Sweat dripped from his chin to the floor, but he ignored that and the trickle down his neck that made him shiver. "Your communicator…"

Videl shook herself out of her shock, and checked it. "It's intact…"

"Good. You can contact them and tell them where we are. I imagine a building as large as the school coming down created quite a bit of an area for them to search."

Videl was amazed at how calmly he took it. _Or, maybe he's just in shock from the wound. Not good._ She activated the communicator. "Chief?"

_"Videl! A couple of your friends said that you were caught in the explosion that downed the school!"_

Videl blinked in confusion. "My friends?"

_"Yes…blonds, the both of them. A male and a female. Said everyone else was in the gym, and the building collapsed on you and another student."_

Videl immediately knew who it was. _Sharpner and Erasa. Then, they already know our general area. But they don't know about Gohan-kun's injury._ "Chief, how long will it take to dig us out?"

_"We've already started…a couple hours, maybe…"_

Videl shook her head. "You have to work faster than that! The other person in here…my friend, Son Gohan-kun…" _…shielded me, and…_ "…is severely injured! As in, we don't _have_ a _couple hours_ to wait! Make it less than an hour!"

The chief paled at the other end. _"It's that bad?"_

"Yes! Ask my father to help if you need to since he's strong…I'm sure he'll pay for cranes or whatever…get the best you can to get us out! Track down that goof Saiyaman if you have to! Oh, and have an ambulance on standby!"

_"R-Right!"_

Videl cut the connection and realized for the first time that she had shed tears during the call.

"Videl-san?" Gohan questioned.

Videl carefully moved over to where he leaned sideways against the wall. He couldn't lean back against it due to the beam, after all, and there wasn't much room to begin with.

"You…lay down." Videl pointed.

Gohan blinked a couple of times. His vision had blurred a bit, and he knew that wasn't a good sign. "Why?"

"You're _injured_, you moron!" Videl shouted, then took a few deep breaths to collect herself as she wiped her eyes. She carefully pulled at his shoulder, and got him to lay on his left side. Yes, it was the side with the injury, but she figured the pressure might help ease the bleeding, and would much have him lay so that his uninjured side wasn't restricted by the ground for his breathing.

Gohan blushed a bit when he realized his head was on her lap. "Videl-san…?"

"If you breathe a word of this to anyone…"

Gohan chuckled, then cringed.

* * *

They sat in silence at first. Videl didn't know quite what to say, and Gohan fought against the pain in his side…and the realization that, despite his injury, he was quite comfortable.

Then, Videl gave into the silence. "Why did you do that?"

"Huh?" Gohan blinked groggily. He was beginning to feel a chill in the air…combined with the way his vision grew fuzzy at times, he knew that he'd be dead if they didn't find them soon.

"Cover me…you could have _died_. If a chunk of rubble had hit you…" Videl trailed off with a concerned glance to the beam that was darkened in spots with his blood. _You still can die…_

She didn't want to admit that part aloud.

"I couldn't just let you die. You're my friend," Gohan responded.

"The media will get a field day out of this one…"

Gohan flinched, but not completely from the pain. "Oh, man…I didn't think of that. I don't want to be on the news."

Videl was silent for a few moments. She had heard of it in movies and in some stories she had read…people that threw themselves in the paths of bullets or danger for family members or friends.

But she didn't think that such a person actually existed.

Someone that so willingly, and without a second thought, threw himself in harm's way just to keep her safe.

Not for glory, money, or publicity.

Not to have his name in the papers and across televisions.

But only because he cared about her.

Gohan blinked when something wet hit his face. "Videl-san?"

"Idiot…" Videl wiped her eyes with her arm. "You're an idiot! I haven't exactly been very nice to you…always accusing you about Saiyaman, suspecting you…but yet you still…"

Gohan was about to say that he would have done it for anyone, but felt that it wasn't the right thing to say right then. Plus, though he would have covered anyone, Videl was special somehow.

"You're still a good person," Gohan finally answered. Then, he smiled. "Ya know, my father did things like that. It didn't matter who it was…even if it was his enemy, he would show mercy or try to help them."

Videl felt warmed by his innocence. "You inherited that, then."

"I'm not sure about that. Father managed to stay alive while doing it." _Most of the time…_

Videl looked down at him and was surprised to see tears in his eyes.

"Dying is painful." Gohan didn't know why he was talking. Maybe he was half delirious from the wound, he didn't know.

"Well, from a beam, I'd imagine you aren't too comfortable…" Videl nearly squirmed in guilt. _If he dies…it'll be my fault. I'm supposed to protect the citizens of the city! Yet, my stubbornness might cost him his life!_

"I don't mean that…" Gohan took a shuddering breath, then let it out. "For everyone else. It's painful. Because you can't do anything. You can only stand there and watch it happen. Pray that it's not true…pray they can be saved, or that they haven't passed on, yet…"

Videl was confused at first, but then seemed to catch on. Especially with the way he spoke of it. "You've…seen it."

The tears that rolled down Gohan's cheeks was confirmation.

Videl clasped his hand in hers to reassure him, and nearly jumped. _Cold. His hand is so cold…_ her mind immediately snapped out of the thoughts the conversation had caused as she stared at him. _Cold isn't a good sign. Dammit, where's the rescue party!?_

"Of course, nobody wants their friends and family to be sad or stay sad at their passing. You know, someone sacrificed themselves for me when I was little."

Videl wanted to tell him to stop talking and save his energy, but just couldn't form any words.

"I cried…but then…" Even with his mind foggy from blood loss and pain, Gohan knew better than to say anything about the Dragonballs. "…I knew he wouldn't want me to mope around. He wanted me to be happy. I was always determined to make him proud. And later on…I could have sworn he told me. He was proud of me."

Videl shook her head. "Stop…" _Stop talking…because it sounds like the way I'd imagine someone on their death bed to talk. About death…about leaving people behind…_

"He wasn't the only one that's sacrificed himself in front of me. That died in front of my eyes. At first…I didn't know some of them well. Others, I did. But, and he even said so…that he didn't want us to be sad. I've still got mom and my little brother…grandpa, too…"

Videl was confused at first, since it seemed as if he talked about quite a lot of people and then started to talk about a single person. Once she realized that, she was able to follow the talk better.

Gohan didn't know why he continued to speak. His vision was hazy, and he was surprised he hadn't started to shiver from the cold. "He didn't leave us to make us sad. He died doing what he loved. And he left us the memories he made in our hearts. He left us with what he loved and enjoyed doing. He didn't fight to die…he fought to live. That's what he left us."

Videl didn't know how to respond. She had never had to watch someone die, and with all her jobs with the police, had never even experienced seeing death or was anywhere near it. She pushed back the tears that hadn't fallen yet, and questioned him, "You aren't sad?"

Gohan smiled weakly. "A little. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't. After all, I won't hear his voice again or see him fight. But…I'm not alone. He didn't leave me all alone. He left me with our family, with friends…and with what he enjoyed."

Videl shook her head and bravely held back a sob. "Enough……please…"

Gohan smiled up at her.

Despite his condition, he _smiled_ at her.

"Gohan-kun…"

Then, his eyes slowly closed, and his body seemed to relax.

His grip on her hand slackened.

"Gohan-kun…?" Videl trembled, then squeezed his hand. "Gohan-kun!?"

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she shook his shoulder a bit. "Please don't die! Gohan-kun!!"

In desperation, Videl clutched at his hand. And it was then when she felt it.

Weak, but there.

Her eyes widened, and she moved a bit to put an ear to his back.

It was slow…but it was definite.

His heartbeat.

His pulse.

Videl hugged his shoulders and head to herself as her tears fell. He was still alive.

Just then, there was a rumble, and Videl had to flinch away from the light that suddenly invaded the area.

The girl looked up, then laughed in relief when she saw a few members of the rescue force.

The relief soon turned to a chill as she remembered Gohan.

"Hurry and get him out, first! He's getting worse!!" Videl shouted.

The workers hurried to do so, and some blanched at the beam that had gone through the teen.

Then, another couple helped Videl out.

In the sunlight, Videl was able to see the damage that had been done to them, and the blood that caked Gohan's torso as they loaded him onto a stretcher and fixed a respirator to his nose and mouth.

Videl pushed away concerned workers as she ran to the ambulance they loaded him into.

A couple glanced at her in confusion.

"I'm coming." Videl left no room for argument with that statement.

The workers just nodded. They could only patch up Gohan's minor injuries, after all. They didn't have the equipment to remove the beam from his side.

Especially with how much blood he had already lost.

Videl reached out and took Gohan's limp hand. _Gohan-kun…_

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	3. Chapter 3

Final chapter!

* * *

Chapter 3

"Hey, Gohan!"

The teen looked around. He was certain that he had been dying in a cave-in. Now, he stood in…where was he?

An endless stretch of grassy plains, it seemed.

Gohan immediately felt his side, and was confused when he realized that, not only was the beam gone, but there was no blood.

But, how did he get from the cave to here…?

"Is this Otherworld…?" Gohan wondered aloud.

"Nope," the familiar voice replied.

Gohan spun around, but there was nobody there. Still, he ventured to place the voice. "Is that you, father?"

"Yep!"

"Then…I _am_ I Otherworld…"

"Haha…no, you ain't. I just said you weren't, silly."

"But I'm not on Earth." Gohan plopped down on the grass and looked at the sky.

"That's true. Kaio-sama said you're somewhere in the middle."

Gohan played with a blade of grass. "Okay…so, I'm in limbo or something?"

"Dunno. I guess so. You're smarter than me, so probably."

Gohan sighed and propped his hand on his chin. There were so many things he wanted to say, but it was weird talking to a disembodied voice. It had happened numerous times before, but that didn't make it any better.

"I'll come ta you, then!"

Gohan jumped to his feet. "What?!"

There was another echo of "What" from a deeper, gruff voice that Gohan figured was Kaio-sama.

Then, before any more protests, he was right in front of him.

His father.

Son Goku.

Gohan stared a moment. "Is…is this real?"

"As real as limbo can get…" Goku smiled goofily.

It only took Gohan a moment before he ran over and embraced his father in an exuberant bear hug.

"Oof! Can't breathe…!" Goku yelped.

Gohan chuckled and stepped back. "Didn't know you had to breathe in Otherworld."

Goku scratched his head at that one. "Huh…good point. But, since I've got my body, I technically have lungs. I think…I dunno…"

Gohan laughed.

Goku grinned, then his eyes sparkled. "I figured we could talk a bit until you have to leave. I couldn't just let you sit here, bored out of your mind." He sat on the grass.

Gohan smiled and sat down next to the man.

"You've grown since I last saw you," Goku commented.

Gohan chuckled. "That was about seven years ago. I'm not Krillin-san."

Goku let out a hearty laugh. "Oh! Wow, he was really annoyed when he realized that I kept grow'n and he stopped, now that I think about it…"

Gohan snickered.

A breeze seemed to blow through the grass.

Goku lay on his back and, after a moment, Gohan joined him.

"Remember the last time we lay like this?" Gohan questioned softly.

"Yea."

"Right before the Cell Games…"

Goku nodded. "It was better on Earth. Here, there are no trees or noth'n…"

Gohan smiled, but agreed. "Yea."

Goku glanced over at his son. "It was my choice, you know."

Gohan frowned slightly, then shrugged with a smile. "I was a bit hurt at first, I'll admit. You didn't want to come back. But…then I thought about it. Normal people wouldn't even have that choice. They don't know about the Dragonballs."

Goku nodded. "You ain't upset about it anymore?"

"Nope. You didn't want us to be. It would have been awesome if you came back, or didn't have to die, but…it had to be done. I understand."

Goku smiled and marveled at how much Gohan had grown. Not just physically, either, but the kid had matured mentally. "You're really a man, now."

The teen started, and looked over at his father.

Goku gave him a nod. "Death is a hard concept to grasp. I've died twice, and I _still_ don't really get it."

Gohan chuckled at that one.

"But ya know…I'm glad you ain't sore about it. I'm glad that you've grown up like this. Without change'n who you are cause of death."

Gohan flushed, then scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "Well…I had to. Besides…Goten needs me, too."

"Goten?"

"He was born nine months after you died. Grandpa came up with a list of _really_ wacky names, but mom and I went with a simple 'Goten'. Mom says he's a lot like you when you were younger."

Goku had a soft smile on his face. "I have another son, huh…?"

"Yea…"

"Hey, I ain't sad. He's grow'n up with an excellent mother and you. That's more'n enough."

Gohan stared at the cloudless sky, then felt an odd sensation. When he looked at his hand, he was surprised to see his father on the other side. "I'm see-through!"

Goku laughed. "It ain't your time to venture into Otherworld. Ya still have adventures on Earth."

Gohan stood up, though how he didn't sink through the ground, he didn't know.

Goku stood up as well, and held out his hand.

Gohan stared a moment, then clasped his father's hand with his own.

Goku patted his son on the back…

…again, how Gohan was able to touch anything while he could see through his body to the grass below him, he didn't know…

But he didn't dislike the feeling.

"I'm proud of ya, Gohan. Love ya."

"Love you, too, father." Gohan felt tears well up in his eyes, but he blinked them back and smiled brightly. "And thanks."

Goku waved, though it was more of a sloppy salute, a smile on his face. "Till we meet again."

"Not too soon, I hope." Gohan joked.

Goku laughed. "Nope! Not too soon!" Then, he beamed. "Go get 'em, Gohan."

Gohan held up his hand with an affirmative nod, then vanished.

Goku stared at the spot his son had been for a moment, then put two fingers to his forehead to use Instant Transmission to return to Kaio-sama…who would probably give him an earful for breaking rules like that.

But, it had been worth it.

* * *

Gohan almost missed the blue sky and grass when his blurry vision located the white hospital ceiling, but then he quickly dismissed that.

It felt like a dream, but he was sure that he had spoken with his father…that he had hugged him, touched him…

Gohan felt a smile creep onto his face. It had just been for a moment, but it was real. He knew it.

"He's awake! Mom, he's awake!"

Gohan knew that voice, and easily located the source.

The hyper seven year old that bounced on the balls of his feet next to the hospital bed, wearing bright orange, wasn't too hard to miss, after all.

Gohan felt a little stiff, but otherwise, not too bad considering he had a beam shoved through his body. He didn't dare to move, though. "Hey, Goten."

Goten brightened, but was just about pushed aside by his mother, who was in tears.

"Oh, Gohan!" Chichi sobbed. "I thought I'd lost you for a moment! When they told us what happened…!"

"So what _did_ happen? Besides the school blowing up and me almost dying, that is…"

Chichi scowled at how easily he pushed his brush with death aside. "It's not that simple, young man! Honestly…! And here I thought you'd be _safer_ without all those adventures!"

Gohan smiled. "But, mom…life _is_ an adventure."

Chichi quieted after that and stared at him for a moment as if she had seen a ghost.

Goten looked between them curiously.

Then, Chichi sighed and smiled fondly. "Yes…I suppose it is."

Goten peered over the bed. "You're okay now, niichan? You were asleep for three days!"

"Not as long as I thought I'd be…" Gohan mused, then moved his arm and ruffled Goten's hair. He was a bit sore from waking up from a three day coma, but there was an IV line in his arm, and his Saiyan abilities were quickly repairing the damage.

After all, whenever he ended up in a hospital, he recovered fairly quickly due to being part Saiyan.

Goten giggled when his hair was ruffled, then leaned over to whisper to his brother since their mother was counting her blessings. "There was this girl that kept ask'n for you and visited you and stuffs. Is she your girlfriend?"

Gohan felt all the blood rush to his cheeks. "Goten!"

Goten just smiled innocently.

A little _too_ innocently.

Gohan rolled his eyes. "You've been hanging around Trunks for the past few days, haven't you."

"Uh huh!"

"Thought so…" Gohan chuckled. It was true that his brother had an innocence that he was told his father had when he was a child…but Goten was a little more clever at times. He could produce a nice pout, and shed crocodile tears when needed.

Things Gohan figured the kid picked up from Trunks.

A rumble interrupted the silence.

Goten looked up sheepishly. "I'm hungry."

Gohan laughed while Chichi sighed in exasperation.

"I suppose I should to get Goten something to eat…we'll be back later," Chichi told her eldest son. "Is that alright?"

"Course, mom," Gohan answered. He could just about feel Videl lurking around the area, and figured she didn't want to clash with his mother and little brother.

With how his mother acted, that was only natural. Gohan wouldn't be surprised if she scared people in the waiting room when he was unconscious.

Goten waved cheerily, and Chichi assured him of her love and that she was glad he would be alright…and then, they left.

As Gohan predicted, only a couple minutes went by before the door opened again and Videl stood there.

She had a bandage here and there, but she hadn't really come out with any major scrapes or cuts.

She also scared the living daylights out of Gohan when the first thing she did was shout.

"YOU IDIOT!!"

Gohan just about jumped, eyes wide as he stared at her.

Videl stormed over, hands clenched into fists as watery eyes bore into him. "Don't you _ever_ scare me like that again! I thought you had _died_, Gohan-kun! After all that talk about death, and you suddenly went limp! Then, you were out for _three damn days_!"

Gohan was sure that he was doing a good imitation of a goldfish. Eyes wide and mouth opening and closing wordlessly.

"And covering me like that in the first place…you got injured because of it! You moron! Idiot! You're supposed to be _smart_! Even if it wasn't for some selfish reason…you're so stupid! Nobody's ever done that for me before…you're just too damn kind! Dope!"

Gohan watched as she dissolved into tears where she stood, though she had stomped her foot at the end of her tirade.

It took him a moment, but he finally realized that she wasn't necessarily _angry_ with him…she had been concerned and worried. Though, he felt bad to be the cause of her tears, and offered out his hand. "Sorry to worry you, Videl-san. But I'll be fine, now. Please don't cry."

"I'm not crying!" Videl retorted as she swiped at her eyes with a flush on her cheeks.

Gohan wisely didn't comment on that, but just kept his hand out.

Videl stared at the hand a moment, then reached out. After a tiny bit of hesitation, she took his hand and sat on the chair next to his bed (that Chichi had vacated).

To her relief, his hand was at the right temperature…not the icy cold it had been in the rubble.

"You nearly died…" Videl mumbled.

"But I didn't."

Videl glared at him, but it softened to a smile. "I'm glad you're alright."

"Trust me…so am I."

Videl chuckled.

"So, what happened after I passed out?"

"They found us almost right afterwards…good timing, since you were barely breathing. Fast ride to the hospital, and you were rushed to the emergency room. I didn't understand any of the talk the doctors were speaking of…"

Gohan grinned.

Videl continued. "There were a few tense moments. I caught things like 'lost too much blood', and they still hadn't pulled the beam out. I…there were times when I wasn't sure if you would make it. But…then the light went out over the emergency room doors. And…they wheeled you out. Wires and tubes on you, but…you were breathing."

Gohan squeezed her hand gently.

Videl quickly wiped her eyes with her other hand. "I don't know what it's like to have to watch someone die…or even be in the area with a dying person. But what I felt then…the fear, the anxiety…the chill up my spine…I don't ever want to feel it again."

Gohan's gaze softened.

"I've done a lot of things that were a bit scary. The first time I fought against a criminal that had a gun…and when I was nearly cut by a knife once. Some fighting tournaments that were full contact when I wasn't used to that…but back there…in the 'cavern', and then unable to do anything but wait…"

"I know," was all Gohan said. And, it was all he had to say.

Videl took a moment to compose herself.

Gohan, meanwhile, seemed to think of something else. "What happened to those insane guys?"

Videl chuckled. "They were caught…"

"What's the laughter for?"

"Oh…well, I vented a bit of my frustrations out on them…"

Gohan stared at her a moment, then burst into laughter. "Why am I not surprised?"

"They're now in jail…well, after they were treated for some bruises and bumps."

Gohan had to wipe tears of mirth away from his face with his free hand.

Videl beamed, and took his laughter as a compliment to her abilities. She smiled and looked at their linked hands. _For some reason…I feel like I understand a little more about him. A secret was dragged out…but hell if I'm going to stop there! I'll figure the rest of you out some day, Son Gohan!_

**THE END**


End file.
